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'The Lego Movie' hopes to cement a built-in fan base

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller had heard the concerns and even a few snickers about a movie based on the enormously popular LEGO toy. The writer-directors even had a few misgivings themselves despite being

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'The Lego Movie' hopes to cement a built-in fan base

USA TODAY's Bryan Alexander gives us a breakdown of the characters who'll form the foundation of the first Lego project to hit big screens.

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In theaters Feb. 7, 2014

'The Lego Movie'

Given that iconic Danish toy company Lego has made 560 billion parts since 1958, there were a lot of characters to choose from when sketching out the script starring the plastic bricks.

"There are robots, aliens, cowboys, monsters, animals and all colors of the rainbow," says Chris Miller, who wrote and directed The Lego Movie with Phil Lord. "We would say there are enough characters and worlds for many, many sequels."

But first there is the original opening Feb. 7. The duo chose from existing toys and made up some characters for the computer-generated 3-D movie, set in the city of Bricksburg.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Voiced by Chris Pratt

Emmet

The very, very normal construction worker accidentally finds himself anointed "The Special" by a band of rebels who believe he is the key to saving their world from a controlling dictator. Turns out there's not much special about the hopeless Emmet.

"We like the challenge of a story around the most generic, forgettable man in the universe," says Lord.

Pratt is a fan of the tiny plastic hair with the cowlick.

"I think they captured my likeness." he says. "I wish I could get a plastic hairpiece to just snap onto my head every day. That would be a lot easier."

"Emmet's enthusiasm is something we share," says Pratt. "I seem to be really enthusiastic about things as well in life. Maybe more so than I should be. It's probably why (directors) Chris and Phil had me in mind when they created the character."

Warner Bros. Pictures

Voiced by Elizabeth Banks

Wyldstyle

The free-spirited Master Builder has an independent streak as wild as the color streaks in her plastic hair. She's a car-building specialist, tough and respected. "She's definitely on equal footing with the guys," says Banks. "She is real sassy. She overcomes all obstacles, including that she's a tiny Lego."

Banks says "Wyldstyle is very much me in two-inch form. I brought as much of my sass and attitude that I could get into her."

Voiced by Will Arnett

Batman

Taken from an actual Lego piece, Batman is a gruff-voiced protector of Bricksburg. "There are a lot of elements and characters in this world. You need someone to fight crime, a superhero," says Arnett.

But this superhero can be a little inept, despite the effective scowl. "He does have a few shortcomings. He might not be the greatest Batman," says Arnett. "But he's the baddest character in the movie. And he's a good guy."

Warner Bros. Pictures

Voiced by Will Ferrell

President Business/Lord Business

President Business is an uptight CEO who wants the world to fit into his well-organized plan. Secretly, he's also Lord Business, who oversees a robot militia and attempts to take over the Lego world.

"The ruler of this universe wants everything to stay exactly where he put it and every piece to be in its place," says Lord. "Innovators like Master Builders drive him crazy."

Ferrell is a good fit to voice both characters "since he can get really frustrated in a really funny way," says Miller.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Voiced by Morgan Freeman

Vitruvius

The bearded mystic Master Builder looks like a Lord of the Rings wizard and speaks with the wise voice of Freeman - but doesn't always use the smartest words.

"We thought he should look like Gandalf, and it would be so funny if we had this voice that everyone trusts," says Lord. "And then we gave him the most ridiculous things to say."

Vitruvius might not be an orator, but he is the prophet who sees the coming of "The Special" to defeat Lord Business.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Voiced by Liam Neeson

Good Cop/Bad Cop

President Business' toughest henchman Bad Cop is all bad, until he finds out he has a Good Cop living inside of him. It's kind of obvious since there are two faces drawn on the character.

"We would have Liam do a scene where he would have this friendly, high-pitched voice for Good Cop and then a mean, deep voice for Bad Cop," says Miller. "He was really good at it."

"It was great to play a piece of plastic, and a schizophrenic one at that," says Neeson, noting that "Bad Cop is a dedicated solider who will do anything for President Business."

However, "with a quick swivel of the head he becomes Good Cop."

Written by Bryan Alexander; Produced by John Elliot

Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY
4:46 p.m. EDT October 23, 2013

A sneak peek at 'The Lego Movie,' which will try to build on its reputation.

Story Highlights

'The Lego Movie' features a world of the Danish toys, opening Feb. 7, 2014.

The characters follow the rules of Lego toys, such as an inability to bend arms.

Chris Pratt voices Emmet, who is mistaken as 'The Special' and savior of Bricksburg.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller had heard the concerns in Hollywood about a movie based on the enormously popular Lego building toy. The writer-directors even had misgivings themselves, despite being lifetime fans of the Danish brand.

"At first we thought, 'Oh, I don't know. A movie based on a plastic brick?' " says Miller. "But we thought that maybe there is a way to do an interesting story as crazy and random as the toy itself. And we thought, we'll pitch this crazy idea and if they don't want to do it, then fine."

The duo has a reputation for turning crazy and random into box-office hits: They were behind Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street. So producer Dan Lin signed them up, giving the green light to write and direct the first studio Lego film, due Feb. 7.

In the 3-D computer-animated world of The Lego Movie (a second trailer drops Nov. 1), everything on the screen is a Lego. The duo plays to the legion of fans built over the past 50 years, yet they also follow their pledge of total randomness.

"In a weird way it's sort of the most commercial thing we could do, and at the same time this is gonzo, punk-rock anti-establishment kind of movie," says Lord. "It's the tension and marriage between the two that really excites us."

The oddball story ("sort of The Wizard of Oz meets The Matrix," says Lord) sets the toy universe in the town of Bricksburg, where the uptight CEO President Business (voiced by Will Ferrell) and his crazed alter ego Lord Business (Ferrell) seek to take over the world and crush the free-form creativity expressed by rebel Master Builders such as the mystic Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman).

Meanwhile, the tough-as-nails Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) mistakes the exceedingly dim Lego-dude and construction worker Emmet (Chris Pratt) as the savior of the world, known as "The Special."

"We've basically made a movie about totalitarianism for kids," says Lord.

(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Also in the mix are classic Lego toys such as Bricksburg's crime-fighting Batman (Will Arnett) and Benny the Space Guy (Charlie Day).

The plot is a riff on the way fans enjoy Lego blocks, whether they follow the prescribed kits or simply use the pieces for free-form creations. The movie creators also strictly followed the rules of the existing toy universe — characters are not able to bend their arms, while the hands are fingerless and rounded.

"We definitely felt we wanted to honor the intense loyalty and passion people have for Legos," says Miller.

Another challenge was keeping the simple stenciled Lego toy faces rather than adding animated features such as lips and eyes.

"It was definitely something we had to convince people about," says Lord. "There was no confidence at first that you can tell a whole movie with facial features this simplistic."

But the end result, the filmmakers believe, is a story with heart that has been building excitement. Pratt feels it when he speaks to his test audience — his extended family. "When I run it past my brother and sister with kids, they are like, 'This is going to be the biggest thing ever.' Kids love Lego (toys) that much," he says

Carrying the major motion picture has left the Parks and Recreation star feeling a lot like "The Special."

"This character, maybe more than any I have ever played, is closest to who I am," says Pratt. "It's just a bewildered idiot who is not exactly sure why he's been given an opportunity to do something great. And he's hoping he doesn't screw up."